Gail, describe yourself for our visitors.
I’m a Christian who also writes Christian fiction and freelance writing. I’ve written puppet scripts, children and adult plays, skits and programs for worship and programs. Iâ€m also a licensed counselor and have written parenting and teen articles for Christian magazines across the U.S. Besides writing, I’m a keynote speaker at churches, libraries and civic group and a workshop presenter all over the U.S. at major Christian writing conferences. Being a mentor to writers is a joy for me, and I’m thrilled to be the author of Writing The Christian Romance from Writers Digest in December 2007. I’m a music person, also. I sing with the well-known group, the Detroit Lutheran Singers, who sings a series of musical programs three or four times a year. In my church, I’m a soloist, choir member and ringer of handbells and handchimes. I also sit on the worship committee. Besides this, I love to travel.
How do you find time to connect with God?
I connect with the Lord all day long. My husband and I share morning devotions and prayers. My writing draws me into scripture to research a message I want to share in a book. I pray many times a day, and I am faithful to worship. My writing career is a blessing, and the Lord inspires my stories putting His thoughts and words in my mind.
Tell us about your journey to publication.
I always loved to write and when I was a child my elementary teachers identified that I was good with words and writing, but I never thought of it as a career until 1995 when I was retiring at an early age and wanted to do something else. I sold most everything I wrote from 1995 to 1997 – worship resource material, magazines articles, Sunday school materials, VBS materials, poetry, and devotionals. Early in 1997, I recalled my childhood dream to be a novelist, and I began writing. I sold my first novel in 1998 and the journey had begun. I’m now the author of 40 novels/novellas with over a million books in print.
Tell us about your current book?
My current book is And Baby Makes Five, the first book in the Monterey Peninsula Series for Barbour’s Heartsong Presents. This area in California is known as the Salad Bowl of the U.S. The book is set in Salinas, California and Corral De Tierra. It will be followed by Garlic and Roses set in Gilroy and Monterey, and the last The Butterfly Trees set in Pacific Grove.
How did you come up with ideas for this book?
My nieces live in Salinas and I saw the lettuce farms and the multitude of migrant workers who live in this area. I began thinking of the female migrant workers who often go into labor in the field while working and it gave me the idea for a story about a young widow who finds herself in this situation.
List your three most recent books.
In His Eyes, is the first book in the Michigan Island Series, set on Harsens Island in Lake St. Clair and published by Steeple Hill Love Inspired. With Christmas In His Heart, released last October is the second book in the series. It’s set on the amazing and unique Mackinac Island and just won the National Readers Choice Award for inspirationals. The next book released is the third book in the series, In His Dreams, set on Beaver Island in Lake Michigan. The final book Family In His Heart will be released in January 2008. The first three books were all Top Picks in the Romantic Times magazine.
What’s next for you?
I’m finishing The Butterfly Trees for the Monterey Peninsula Series and promoting my Writers Digest book, Writing the Christian Romance. I’ve also proposed a new series to Steeple Hill called Friends Forever—four novels about four women who remained friends since high school. Each book will focus on one woman and will be set in the U.S. and partially in a foreign country.
Where can visitors find you online?
My website is www.gailmartin.com and my blog is at www.gailmartin.blogspot.com. I’m also active on Shoutlife at http://www.shoutlife.com/profile_view.cfm?uid=15129
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